Dana White Says President Trump Personally Requested White House UFC Card Addition

The fight card for the highly anticipated UFC event at The White House, titled UFC Freedom 250, was officially revealed at the start of March, but an extra fight was added to the event during the UFC 327 broadcast.

That fight being Derrick Lewis vs. Josh Hokit in the heavyweight division, which thrilled many fight fans given Hokit's fight with Blaydes has already been heralded as one of the greatest heavyweight fights of all time. However, UFC President Dana White revealed at the UFC 327 post-fight press conference that it was actually the President of the United States, Donald Trump, who was in attendance for the UFC 327, who got the ball rolling by asking a simple question.

"So what's crazy is, organically, about an hour before that, the President said to me, 'Why is Derrick Lewis not on the White House card?' I said, 'I'll be back in five minutes.' Called Derrick Lewis, said, 'The President wants to know why you're not on the White House card.' And Derrick Lewis said, 'Politics, politics kept me of the White House card.' I said, 'Do you want to fight on the card?' He said, 'I absolutely want to fight on the card, tell the President thank you.'"

While Trump got Lewis on the White House card, it was Joe Rogan on commentary who Dana credited as being the other person to think of the idea. "I told Mick Maynard, 'Find a fight for Derrick, let's talk about it next week or whatever. Then the Hokit fight happens and Joe Rogan–I have the headset on, Joe Rogan goes, 'Is there another slot open for the White House card?' I go 'Holy s***',' so I grabbed Mick and said 'Go back there and see if he's in.' Hokit was getting into an ambulance and said yes."

Dana White was then asked by another reporter a very simple question, of all the fighters in the UFC, why does Donald Trump love Derrick Lewis so much? Judging by his answer, White is as puzzled as most people "He's a fan. He likes Derrick Lewis. He likes his personality. He likes the way he fights. I don't know, I mean what makes us a fan of anybody you know? I don't know what it is, the President loves Derrick Lewis."

Given that there aren't going to be any prelims for UFC Freedom 250, the inclusion of Lewis vs. Hokit is a very special scenario that White didn't plan for. However, if he can add one fight, is there a chance he can add more? In White's mind, no. "I shouldn't have done this one. But when the President looks at you and says, 'Why is Derrick Lewis not on the card?' you put Derrick Lewis on the card immediately. Unless he calls me and tells me to do something else there will be no more fights added to the card."

With the addition of Lewis vs. Hokit, UFC Freedom 250 is now a seven fight card with two title fights sitting at the top of the bill. With that said, as White mentioned, if Trump becomes a fan of someone else between now and June 14, the fight card has the potential to grow.

Please credit the original source when using quotes from this article, and give a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.